Ilaria Verunelli is an accomplished professional in marketing and communications, having held numerous roles in entertainment media, journalism, and technical marketing/branding. She has served as consultant for CI-ESSE S.r.l, a manufacturer in the high precision mechanics market. A native of Italy who moved to Houston, Texas to oversee the growth of the American subsidiary of CI-ESSE S.r.l, Ilaria is highly passionate about sharing her knowledge of Italian culture with others.Outside of her work as marketing professional, Ilaria is an Italian Teacher at her local Italian Cultural & Community Center. She teaches classes and private lessons on a weekly basis.

The Italian Cultural & Community Center, a nonprofit organization, was created to share Italian culture through a variety of outlets that any Houstonian can try. From cooking classes to social clubs to scholarship programs for high schoolers, anyone can get involved with The Italian Cultural & Community Center to feel more connected. Ilaria Verunelli is proud to play her part in keeping Italian culture thriving in Houston.

Ilaria is particularly inspired by Italian music and poetry. From the all-time greats like Dante Alighieri to twentieth-century trailblazers like Eugenio Montale, Ilaria enjoys expanding her own knowledge and teaching it to students. She is interested in a wide variety of poetic styles and topics, including war poetry, pastoral or nature-inspired poetry, and religious or metaphysical explorations. Ilaria Verunelli has also been fortunate enough to encounter some of her favorite writers through her career. In 2008 Ilaria contributed to an investigation of the enforcement of Basaglia Law. This presentation took place at a public conference held at Circolo della Stampa in Milan, Italy. Also present at this conference were Nobel Prize-winning actor-playwright Dario Fo (one of the speakers) and one of Ilaria’s favorite poets, Nobel literature candidate Alda Merini.

In addition, Ilaria, who has a professional background in entertainment, contributed to the conception, research, and writing of Un popolo di concorrenti: 50 anni di storia d’Italia attraverso i telequiz (A people of competitors: 50 years of Italian history through the TV game show). The book chronicles the last fifty years of Italian history through the evolution of quiz and game-show. When Ilaria is not working as marketing professional or teaching at the Italian Cultural & Community Center, she enjoys reading books and newspapers, watching documentaries and staying up-to-date on international economics. This blog will recap some of Ilaria’s favorite writers and delve into some of the most iconic cultural pieces and eras in Italian history.